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Buddakan
Category: Restaurants Asian Fusion Asian Fusion [Edit]
1 Atlantic OceanAtlantic City, NJ 08401
(609) 674-0100
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Garage
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Romantic, Trendy, Upscale
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
93 reviews for Buddakan
Review Highlights
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"Edamame ravioli was melt in your mouth delicious." In 15 reviews -
"Next we tried the chicken and ginger dumplings." In 3 reviews -
"CRISPY CALAMARI SALAD - excellent." In 4 reviews
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93 reviews in English
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Review from Dawn G.
Highland Park, NJ
4/30/2012
Sexy vibe going on in this place. Came with hubby for dinner Saturday night. Really digging the dark and trendy ambiance. We sat in a booth and while there were other patrons there, it sort of felt like we were alone. It's just that kind of place. You can actually relax while looking over the menu and waiting for your food. All the staff are warm and friendly and put you right at ease.
What I really liked about this place is the menu allows you to share a few plates or order an entree. Whatever you're feeling. We decided to share 3 dishes.
We ordered the edamame ravioli which was super creative, full of flavor and mind-blowing. Next came the poached tuna. A really delicious entree. Then we had the Singapore noodles which were a fine, reliable kind of dish but nothing amazing.
Finally, we ordered the creme brulee tasting which was 4 small creme brulees: tahitian vanilla which was quite yummy, coffee which was my favorite, cinnamon which was very nice and green tea which I was not a fan of.
I will definitely be returning soon. -
Review from Wendy Y.
5/8/2012 3 photos
Always a fan of trying new restaurants, we decided to try Buddakan in Caesars for lunch. Known for their asian-fusion cuisine and lovely decor, it seemed to be the perfect place to try for lunch. They were pretty empty during this time, so it was easy to get seated.
We started with some drinks, the Spot and the Sparkling Zengria, both very good. For starters, we ordered the Butternut Squash Dumplings with micro greens and truffle vinegarette; and the Buddakan Style Sashimi with citrus soy and sizzling oil. The dumplings were pan seared so the outside had a great crunch to them. The sashimi was very fresh. We wished we ordered two instead of just one plate!
As an entree, we shared the Char Grilled Aged Beef with Szechuan Fries and Watercress Salad. This entree was not my favorite part of the meal. The beef was dry and overdone and the fries were oil drenched and way too fried. We finished the meat but decided not to finish the fries or salad.
Overall, the experience was decent but overpriced. The sultry ambiance was definitely a plus. If we ever decide to come back, we'll most stick with the drinks and appetizers. -
Review from Priti K.
Jersey City, NJ
4/24/2012 2 photos
Satisfying each of us in a group of 10 viciously hungry ladies part of a Bachelorette celebration is no easy feat! BUT Buddakan in Atlantic City did it with flying colors. My girl friend called ahead of time with our entire order the afternoon before our 6:15pm reservation. We were 20 minutes late, but the service was still very gracious.
Firstly, the ambiance is dark and sexy - very trendy. You'd think they'd skimp on food quality because of the pretty distraction, but that wasn't the case. Let me try to think of everything we ordered:
For appetizer: Steamed Edamame Pods (cooked and seasoned with the right amount of sea salt), Chicken & Ginger Dumplings; the dumpling itself was a little bit bland in flavor, but the Sesame Dipping Sauce definitely helped, Cantonese Spring Rolls, crispy and yum!
For entree: Chicken and Shrimp Pad Thai, not as many layers of flavor as I like my pad thai to have, but it was good. I think my complaint would be to make the chicken pieces a little smaller. The size made it less tasty throughout. The San Bei Basil Chicken was delicious! I especially loved the sweetness of its sauce, but again, wish the chicken pieces had been smaller. Be careful with the red chili, I thoroughly chewed one by accident and died and came back to life all within 10 minutes. We also ordered the Kung Pao Monkfish cooked in a chili szechuan sauce, as described in the menu, and this was my favorite dish of the night (besides the desserts). This fish, which I'd never had before, is so meaty that you almost mistake it for something else. It was very fresh and I loved the sauce. We asked for Wasabi Mashed Potatoes and brown rice as our sides. Now, the former will definitely be an addition to my Thanksgiving table this year - delicious.
And lastly, the desserts! My goodness. Listen ladies, and gentlemen with a sweet tooth as crazy as mine, the Bento Box is the way to go. A little bit of chocolate, a little bit of fruit, a little bit of creme, a little bit of heaven. The PERFECT dessert sampler.
Service was impeccable (a lad from Birmingham, UK - I caught his accent) and the pink sangria - strong, fruity, and fragrant! Overall, I think our beautiful Bachelorette loved it and so did I! -
Review from Georgina G.
Collingswood, NJ
5/21/2012
I've dined in the center city location on many occations, our server here wouldn't tell us his name, but we had to ask. He was increadably knowledgeable of the menu, he was very friendly and entertaining, he was hard working, and he guided us through our experience with expertise.. We noticed he was very busy, but that's because we both have worked in the industry. He still had time to make sure we didn't wait for anything.. But the thing that impressed us was watching him help the other servers who all looked flustered near his section, and he was entertaining, helpful, and hard working with the other tables as well.. We had a fabulous dinner... The specialty sangria was great and then Ezra (we asked his name) helped us order a surf and turf with a beef dish as well as Chilean sea bass. And he recommended the vegetable fried rice because the curry in the dish would hold up well with the truffle sauce on the sea bass and the crispiness of the sechuan fried on the beef dish, but we ordered the crab fried rice because my husband isn't a curry fan. It was increadable. Ezra told us about his amazing cappuccinos and the amazing hot teas and at this point we believed him so we partook in desert. His cappuccino was thick, creamy, and his froth was perfect. I asked him if there was a capp machine that did this for him and he said "yes, I am the cappuccino machine" hilarious and witty. He described every one if the deserts even with 5 other tables and the other server tables he was helping. amazing because we thought we were hogging him, but he was so quick and so professional, were torn between two desserts, the creme brulee and asian donuts. We were expecting Ezra to tell us one was better than the other, but instead he described both and let us fight over it. we made our choice, the creme brulee tasting with the green tea flavor was heavenly... By the end we didn't want to leave and if we did we wanted to take Ezra with us.. He was a bunch of fun, yet very professional. We will definitely be back but can't imagine the experience without Ezra. We will be asking for him next time that's for certain. And the food is so good,our friends will know about Buddakan Atlantic city soon enough.
-
Review from L H.
Washington, DC
4/22/2012
Cute place....dry pad Thai - huge chucks of chicken. Chicken straight out of freezer. Lobster fried rice - not authentic. No flavor.
Not worth the $$$. -
Review from Adam S.
Long Beach, CA
5/2/2012 1 Check-in Here
Love the ambiance this place sets...classy yet still has swagger. This was the 2nd stop during my groups happy hour bar crawl. The happy hour is at the bar only, but offers a decent variety of options, including drinks. We ordered every single food item off the HH menu and we weren't disappointed. I would suggest the Edamame ravioli, Szechuan pork dumplings and/or the Cantonese spring rolls. I forget what drinks we ordered, but did take note that some were borderline "craft cocktails" The bartender, Eric, kicked @ss and made the experience that much better, so props to him. If I ever make it back to Atlantic City, I'd hit this spot up again.
-
Review from Gloria F.
3/19/2012
Went here for dinner on a Saturday with friends. Wow! This place is seriously fun. The restaurant has a great vibe and is the epitome of cool and trendy. The restaurant is one of the many Asian fusion joints which have become synonymous with hip, stylish and not authentic but great to go with friends.
The tuna spring rolls were delicious and we ended up having two orders of the sea bass because it was so yummy. Definitely order up here because portions aren't huge and you are supposed to try a lot of stuff. If you don't like to share buddakan is not for you.
So come and bring lots of friends and hit up this spot. -
Review from Ghaith A.
Boston, MA
5/12/2012
Awesome. Dessert is a must, must try the donuts.
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Review from Chetana G.
Edison, NJ
3/11/2012 1 Check-in Here
What a let-down!
beautiful place but alas, the service and food was average at best.
we had a late lunch on a Saturday, and were prepared to order off the menu. upon arrival, we were told that weekend meals are off the dinner menu all day. no biggie, not a prob!
my bf and i were seated at a cozy booth, and admired the decor. dim lights, soft music, and a MASSIVE statue of Buddha--perhaps assuring us of attaining nirvana through this experience... well, not this time!
we started with a Calamari salad.. AMAZING! BEST calamari i've ever had.. fried to perfection and sooo juicy.. the salad was delicious and the dressing paired with it was perfect.. loved this! the small portion ($12) was enough for the two of us.
next, based on previous Yelpers' reviews.. we ordered the Edamame Ravioli ($15-ish). this was just okay. we look for complex flavors and favor food on the spicier side, so we didn't care too much for it.. *but* it was simplicity at its best. wasn't enough to convince me.
For our entrees, we decided to split the Crab Fried Rice ($18) and the the Basil Chicken ($31). we were told that entree portions are usually enough for one person and dismissed that, and lo & behold, the server was wrong. the chicken came out in a pot- the presentation was great! the crab fried rice arrived several minutes later. we didn't care too much for the stagger but had been warned of that beforehand.
the chicken, sad to say, was RAW. the smell hit me first and after a few chews.. i realized i shouldn't have to chew chicken like cud if it's cooked!! my poor bf, since he was starving beyond belief, wasn't convinced until his eighth piece.. LOL.
well, we flagged the waiter and informed that the chicken was undercooked. he asked if we would like anything else but we were too turned off and said we'd stick to the fried rice. he seemed irritated about us sending the food back but i'm sorry- i'm not going to start off my spring break with a food illness! anywho, the crab fried rice was pretty filling, and VERY yum.. huge chunks of crabmeat, and scrambled egg.. a huge portion but we finished it up (make sure you order their chinese style hot sauce.. ohhh my!).
speaking of the waiter, he was soo hard to get a hold of! he came around just once to fill up our glasses. about three more tables were seated after us and he busied himself with them & *ignored* us the rest of the time. i was livid to see them getting served meals several minutes before us, too.. i'm not sure if it had to do with whoever was cooking our meals or what we had ordered but, there was just too much discontinuity in his attitude. i completely regret leaving a 20% tip.
overall, i was not happy with the service and that alone is enough to not bring me back. -
Review from Tara W.
2/11/2012
Imagine if a Cheesecake Factory opened up in the China section of Epcot. That pretty much sums up the type of food and atmosphere at Buddakan. In spite of this we actually had a really good time and enjoyed the food.
I guess its supposed to look like you're in the courtyard of a Buddhist temple that's also blasting "sexy muzak."
Their spiel about scattered courses seemed like a disclaimer for fussy tourists and all our food ended up coming out together anyway, for a party of 14, which was impressive. Service was personable but what else do you expect from Disney? ;)
For me the highlights were the edamame ravioli (ravioli stuffed with truffle scented edamame purée), Korean fried rice, and the cinnamon ice cream that came with the carrot cake dessert. Chicken dumplings and salmon were tasty but nothing special. -
Review from Es K.
Woodbury, NJ
3/6/2012
I've been to the one in Philly and now the one in A.C. Enjoyed the calamari salad in which the calamari was cooked to perfection and complemented with a perfect quantity of dressing. Would definitely recommend this salad!
Also shared the chinese pork style dish with chinese vegetables and onion rings, which was actually a friend's dish. The pork was cooked just right, not overdone at all, which made the meat so tender and heavenly! the onion rings, despite being large, were not heavy or greasy tasting whatsoever! I ordered the chicken and shrimp pad thai which was also stellar and on point.
The only dish I didn't fully enjoy was the scallop dish. The sauce was way too salty and heavy. The scallops themselves were delicious, although a little salty. However, the rest of that dish was just too overwhelming for such delicate seafood. On the bright side, the scallops were very large and a good portion.
For sides, I enjoyed the vegetable tempura and wasabi mashed potatoes. Again, the tempura was well-cooked and not greasy tasting.
Service was great and on a Friday night, it wasn't so crazy busy. I liked that because I could actually hear my friends and carry on a conversation.
Definitely would head back here in a heartbeat. The manager even came to check in with my friends and I. We were quick to point out the friendly waitstaff service and how tasty everything was. -
Review from mila g.
ASTORIA, NY
5/12/2012
just awesome night.. I would recommend to all yelpers....
-
Review from Christian L.
Philadelphia, PA
So we went to celebrate our friend's birthday with a party of 12 people. I feel a little bad giving this place 3 stars, but the service was way off.
I feel like the birthday lady had her food served last during appetizers/main course while the rest of us patiently waited for everyone to get their food.
Anyways...For starters, I picked up the Butternut Squash Dumplings- definitely an easy win. The sour ginger balsamic dressing juxtaposed the sweetness of the dumplings. Friggin savored every bite. The wasabi crusted filet was quickly devoured. I managed to mooch some of Krista P's cashew chicken and Michael G's edamame ravioli- both of which tasted pretty fresh. I even had some pad thai- decent tasting but nothing exceptional.
Since we all felt like fatties, none of us got dessert except for the birthday girl and her boo. Let me tell you..best chocolate mud pie EVER. They had these dried, sweet cellophane noodles on top, with some Vietnamese coffee ice cream. -
Review from Lee M.
1/31/2012 1 Check-in Here
I ate here on a Saturday night around 9:30 and the restaurant was packed. My wife I wound up eating at the bar - I had no reservation and the hostess told me that it would be at least an hour (despite being able to get a 10pm reservation on Open Table as I was standing there). That was annoying but it was much quieter in the bar area and the bartender made for some good conversation.
We both ordered the tequila cocktail - which had thai chiles infused in it. I'm not really into sweet drinks, but this one was solid. It had just enough heat to kiss the back of your mouth but the sweetness of the simple syrup and the acidity of the fresh lime juice balanced it perfectly.
We were hungry and ordered as if - crispy calamari salad, asian glazed boneless ribs, mustard miso salmon and a side of chinese eggplant. The calamari salad was just how I remembered it the first time I ate it in Philly. The calamari was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside and tossed in bitter greens and mixed with just a hint of a miso dressing. It's probably my favorite salad of all time. The ribs were 4 boneless ribs - the size of spare ribs - these were hit and miss - some moise and some dry but overall, good chinese flavor. The salmon was cooked perfectly - just about medium to medium rare and the chinese eggplant was a better version of the type you'd get in a local chinese take-out, since it was far less oily.
This meal cost about $120 including gratuity for the 2 of us. There is really not much I can say about Buddakan that was negative - the hostess thing was a bit of a turnoff but certainly did not ruin the meal. -
Review from Katie W.
1/18/2012
Was in AC for a reunion with 7 biddies from college and the only reservation we could get was Buddakan at 6:15pm -- what are we 80?! But this place came through and probably deserves 5 stars for holding our reservation 30+ mins. Not only is physically impossible for 7 girls getting ready in one hotel room to show up to a place by 6:15 but note a cab can not drop you off at the door of this place, you have to go through Caesars, cross a boardwalk, then up to the third floor!!
Ok, on to the food:
- Rock Shrimp Bao Buns - soggy, not that good
- Crispy Calamari Salad - huge portion for sharing, delicious
- Edamame ravioli - YUM get this
- Crab fried rice - great!
- Lamb chops - too rare, but good
- Hot & Sour Scallops - really good, were the first thing to go!
Attentive and friendly service throughout the whole meal and never felt rushed - PLUS the general manager was a penn stater too and he hooked it up with a round of prosecco and cafe patron shots! Also it was our friend's birthday and they brought out a bento box of 5 delicious desserts - SCORE! -
Review from Danielle L.
Brooklyn, NY
2/3/2012 1 Check-in Here
I came here with my newly named Fiance and another couple. I had been wanting to go to the Buddakan in NYC but since it was here in AC I thought we should try it. This was our first weekend as an engaged couple and we decided to celebrate here.
We got there and it was empty but we were seated way in a corner on the second floor. So we asked to be moved. We were then seated downstairs which was much better. We felt more in the thick of things. The food was excellent and the atmosphere was trendy. Edamame ravioli to die for. When I go back to AC I will have to come back just for that. -
Review from Pengilicious E.
Germantown, MD
1/27/2012 4 photos
One of the best dinners I had. I was a little bit skeptical at first but I'm so glad my husband changed my mind into coming here. We started with the edamame ravioli which melted right away from our mouths in a minute!
For the main course.. I had the best sea bass ever! I paired it with a glass of riesling and oh my God I've gone to heaven! My husband's dry aged beef was okay but the string fries that comes with it..oh my golly surprisingly good! We ended our dinner with an equally good creme brulee and espressos. -
Review from Jay J.
Manhattan, NY
12/19/2011 1 Check-in Here
Just went here last night, and it was an amazing experience..
--Great ambience
--Tasty food/ Great presentation
-- Prompt Service
--Clean Restrooms
As a negative, its somewhat pricey..
For dinner, my friends and I had the following:
Kobe beef satay as appetizer
Lobster fried rice, Pan seared Sea Bass and
Asian Barberqued pork chops...
The whole dinner was really amazing, but the pork chops and sea bass meals were both standouts..
I may have found a new secret spot in Atlantic City....Oh yes!!!!
and the booth seats on side are the best..... -
Review from colleen l.
Philadelphia, PA
2/12/2012
Went here for lunch during a weekend in AC. The Buddakan House Salad is SOOOO delicious - I can't stop thinking about it! Also, the Kobe Beef Satay is yummy - a little on the small side, but good portion for lunch. Lobster Fried Rice was good, but I wasn't super impressed....It's got nothin' on the Lobster Mashed Taters at Continental. The Pork Dumplings were oh so good, as well.
We asked the waiter for his help with dessert and he recommened the Banana Macadameia Spring Roll - OMG, so freakin' good. I don't even really like those flavors, but it was really, really, really good !!
It's a must. -
Review from T G.
Brooklyn, NY
4/25/2012
Excellent food, service, and great atmosphere. We had the pork tenderloin and lobster fried rice and everything was so good. We did not order much because we weren't that hungry and we didn't want any leftovers, so we chose to get just two dishes and it was the perfect amount of food for both of us. The Zen-gria was delicious. I have no complaints about our dinner at Buddakan. Our server was friendly and very nice.
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Review from Doc H.
San Francisco, CA
1/3/2012
4.6*
This was a great experience.
Reservations are probably helpful, it would probably be tough to navigate a a walk-in, though there are a couple of bars right outside the restaurant.
Nice ambiance, kind-of dark, big glowing Buddha. The service was stand out though. A small wave from my drink ended up on the table- no big deal, a quick swipe with my napkin and the table was clear and dry; the impressive part was that my waiter was there to replace my napkin before I finished drying the little spill.
Asian-fusion; fused with what? I'm not sure, adventure? Youthful spirit?
Buddakan style sashimi was a stand out dish, though everything was good. I used our waiters recommendations as guidance and was plenty surprised and impressed. Even the proprietary drinks were refreshing.
Great overall experience. -
Review from Angie L.
New Providence, NJ
2/27/2012
I was totally unimpressed with this place. We went on a Thursday evening right before the start of a weekend-long event. It wasn't super busy, so we were seated right away. The restaurant has a really nice atmosphere. They played some kind of Mandarin Chinese easy-listening type music, but it was not so loud that you couldn't have a conversation with the person seated across from you.
Upon checking their website to confirm that names of the dishes we ordered, I will tell you that the menu on the website is not the menu we were given. None of the dishes we ordered are even on their website. Anyway, we ordered the sweet corn soup, Peking duck spring rolls, Mongolian lamb, and shrimp pad thai. The appetizers were great. The soup had just the perfect sweet/savory balance, and the spring rolls were light and crispy. Our entrees, on the other hand, were bordering on inedible. Perhaps it was a different chef that night or something, but everything was severely over-seasoned. There was so much ginger in the lamb that you couldn't taste anything else. The noodles in the pad thai were chewy and tasted like... ketchup. We ended up leaving more than half of the lamb and almost all of the pad thai untouched. For what everything cost, it was very disappointing.
I was so taken aback by this because the reviews for this restaurant have been so good, but it didn't live up to the hype. Not only was the food well below our expectations, the service was really off. The hostess was lovely, but our waitress completely dropped the ball on some simple things. I had asked for lemon for my water and it never appeared, even after the third time I asked for it. Also, my water glass sat empty for too long before someone came to fill it. Yes, there were 4 or 5 tables seated at the restaurant, BUT... two waitstaff. Had it just been one, I wouldn't be concerned. However, these small lapses are unacceptable when each person only has 2 or 3 tables to cover. Also, beware that there are no free refills on soft drinks. It's not like they were serving glass bottles of the stuff either. I'm sure they came from a dispenser in the kitchen. I know for a fact that the syrup costs only pennies per serving, so this was just ridiculous. I can't remember the last time I went to a nice, sit-down restaurant that charged for refills.
Overall, the restaurant had some good points, but I rate it far below even our dinner at the Applebee's down the road. Very disappointing because there was potential for real greatness. -
Review from Michelle R.
Philadelphia, PA
3/8/2012
Beautiful dining experience. Dined alone at the bar without interruption. Extremely attentive bartender. Appetite was not so hot, but my choice of splendid morsels of Starr's beloved restaurant was sufficient. Loved it.
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Review from Stella T.
Once again Buddakan delivered a great meal in a great setting.
You really can't go wrong here. Friendly, prompt service, nice decor, clean large restrooms...A+
Edamame Ravioli are just as good as the ones prepared in the NYC location.
Do check it out. -
Review from Kelly C.
9/20/2011 4 photos
I'll give it a 3.5 stars.
I had high expectations coming here b/c of all the fame from its counterparts in Philly and Nyc. However, after I lived the Buddakan experience, I can't say I'm all that impressed. Though, I do understand that the AC branch isn't the same as the city but I expect it to carry the same standards.
Appetizer: Calamari salad
Fair. Pricy but you do get a good share of calamari. I wouldn't even look at it as paying 14, 15 for a salad, a plate of calamari is around that range. The fried batter is nothing special, however, the way how the taste with texture came together... I wonder if they purposefully made the fried batter plainer and more typical and let the sweet and sour dressing bring out the magic... It was interesting. Wasn't too powering, just the right starter to get your stomach running for what's next. PS the portion is huuuge! the small can feed up to at least 3 people.
Entree: Grilled lamb chops + lobster fried rice
Lamb chops first --- fabulous! a big fan, it was grilled to perfection, seasoned well to my Chinese taste buds. I highly recommend it. The chef recommends medium rare and that's what we got. It's just the way I like it, pink but cooked all over. Very tender. It comes with a pesto sauce? i don't think it does anything so I ignored it, but I guess for those who can't stand the taste of lamb, it helps to mask the "stink". but hey, you should know what you're getting into by ordering it lol
Lobster fried rice ---- for $20 dollars?!? no thank you. It wasn't what I expected... on the menu it says "with thai basil". So i thought it would be more flavorful with like a hint of South East Asia... but nah, it was just.. overpriced comfort food with expensive ingredients. Though, I will say the taste of lobster does carry throughout every bite. I guess they want to place the main focus on that but they forgot that the actual taste of lobster is quite bland so all it did was it made the fried rice SMELL really tasty but lack the actual vigor when u take a big bite out of it..
service - ok, i enjoy a place more where the staffs are smiling to their customers, which they did. my boyfriend had a slight complain though... Our lamb chops were delicious. But oddly, one piece was not cooked to the same degree as the others... It was so raw, we couldn't eat it.. we told the waitress, but they didn't do anything about it.. didn't offer anything to compensate for it either which was disappointing considering people come here to get a fine dining experience... but yeah
So overall, it was alright, I probably wouldn't visit this branch again, but will look forward to trying the Philly one and the NYC one some day :) -
Review from Marivic L.
Alexandria, VA
8/1/2011
We got to AC late and needed a little bite to eat. Without a reservation, we were asked if we wanted to sit at the bar. I'm not into eating at the bar, but they had nice little sitting areas with tables, so I was in. I expected less than stellar service because we weren't in the main dining area, but the service was super friendly and accommodating.
Thank you Yelpers who raved about the edamame ravioli. Honestly, without your suggestions, I would have missed out on a super-tasty, different from the ordinary, app. This app made us wish we were hungrier.
We got just 2 more apps, a drink, and called it a night. The next best app we had was the shrimp spring roll. This isn't a previously frozen spring roll. It's fresh, tasty, and had nice chunks of shrimp in it.
The least fave of our apps were the pork potstickers. They were presented well, but they were just good. I wouldn't order them again.
So, if the apps are any indication of the rest of the food here, this place will be one of my faves. I'll come back for the food, atmosphere, and excellent service. -
Review from Anita B.
East Harlem, Manhattan, NY
1/26/2012
I had a good experience here...however...
I went with someone who worked there before so the staff wasn't as professional as they could have been. The food was ok...wasn't too impressed. -
Review from jin j.
8/1/2011
BEST. RESTAURANT. IN. AC!
Buddakan is always my favorite and this AC location is even better and bigger in portion than Philadelphia or NYC locations. Food was so good! Servers were great! Definitely going back there again! -
Review from alan l.
5/25/2011
Still not sure how our group of 7 escaped with each paying $60 for food and drinks here. Not that $60 is cheap, but I expected to do more damage at a place like this.
The menu was interesting enough that we all got different entrees, and ordered each kind of dumpling as appetizers. Everyone was happy with the food, and just about cleaned their plate.
My one gripe? When you order a Sapporo they serve it to you in the tall 22oz can. While Sapporo does have cool looking cans, I would go to the bodega if I wanted to drink out of a tall-boy.
Service was good beyond a few beers which were ordered and never brought - So maybe the takeaway from this review is to just skip the beer at Buddakan.Listed in: Atlantic City
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Review from Niyant S.
7/16/2011 2 photos
I found my experience at Buddakan to be wonderful!
First off, this place will forever be special, because this is where I proposed to my (now) fiance!
The reason I choose Buddakan for this special occasion was not obvious to me until about 5 minutes after sitting down. My original plan was to wait until after dinner and propose to her on the AC Boardwalk, but Buddakan put that idea to shame! The ambiance in the restaurant is excellent, it has the perfect romantic setting for occasions like this. The decor here is all really wonderful; they painted the ceiling to look like the night sky, we got our own booth which was very private, and there is even an enormous Buddha statue in the center of the room!
Aside from all this, the food here is really great. For appetizer, we got the mushroom dumplings, which were really tasty and came with a peanut sauce. For dinner, I ordered the Wasabi crusted Filet Mignon. The Filet was excellent, perfectly cooked (medium is what I asked for) and practically melted in my mouth. The dish also came with a sweet potato mash, which was also just as good. The only complaint I have for this dish is that some parts of the Filet had a little too much Wasabi on it, making some parts difficult to eat; however the solution is to scrape some off and spread it over the meat.
For dessert, we ordered the creme brulle, which was also quite excellent. Overall, this is a wonderful restaurant, and I highly recommend it, especially for special occasions! -
Review from D. W.
Mercer, NJ
6/12/2011
I am a big fan of Buddakan. I've been to the one in NYC and Philadelphia. There's some difference between this one and the others. First, the dishes are larger here, so you don't have to order as much. Second, there is also a larger seafood selection here. I would recommend sticking to the seafood if you enjoy seafood. We had the crispy fish, which was great. We also had the lamb, one of the pork, and one of the chicken dishes. All the dishes were great, but I felt that the dishes were missing the "surprise" factor usually found at Buddakan. From my experience in the past, I've come to expect Buddakan to be a place where you order Asian food that stays true to its Asia roots, but then adds an interesting and surprising twist to it. I wouldn't call it "fusion" because you won't find "East meets West" concepts.
Regardless, it's still a great place. The service was also excellent. -
Review from Frances G.
Brooklyn, NY
1/6/2012 4 Check-ins Here
They changed the menu so to me its not as good as before. All my favorite dishes are gone and the new ones I have tried I just dont like them as much,
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Review from Rubenido P.
Pittsburg, CA
12/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
Went here for the first time and every food we ordered were so good. First the Thai Chicken Salad with Crispy Noodles. Wife and brother loved it. Then came the Edamame Ravioli, Lobster Fried Rice, Buddakan Lunch Bento Box, Grilled Lamb Chops, Pan Seared Sea Bass, and Crispy Calamari Salad. Whew we were so full and delighted we went here instead. It's a bit pricey but it's all worth it.
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Review from Pinky And The B.
Manhattan, NY
1/26/2011 4 photos
I was just tired from walking around and swimming and so on and usually do not eat at hotel restaurants in AC but because I was so tired we ate here. It was empty so we sat right down no reservations or wait.
Of course we know it is a fusion chain. I guess I can't help but compare it to NYC.
But the one here in NYC seemed to have a Chinese chef on the night we went we could tell by the Wok sear. The one in AC, not so sure. Never the less it is what it is a high end fusion chain. It is pricey due to the area of course. Know what you are getting into. The menu doesn't wow. The decor, atmosphere and service is what you go for. Do not expect anything to be authentic.
The quality and service were good. It was comfortable and not crowded. I would go back just for the comfort of it if in AC again. I found that there were less hassles here than at other AC restaurants we have been to.Listed in: Jersey Girl list…
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Review from Charlee D.
Egg Harbor City, NJ
10/30/2011 1 Check-in Here
Came here last night with 4 other people; second time at Buddakan and it was just as good as the first!
It's my personal preference to sit in one of the private booths when I come here; the communal tables just don't do it for me. So, we had to wait about 20 minutes for one of those.
Boyfriend and I decided to try a few different appetizers and split an entree. Let me just say, we spent a good 20 minutes looking at this menu trying to decide what to order, since we literally wanted to try everything. It was very tough to narrow it down to a few things. We will be back to work on that ;) 4 of us shared a large order of the Crispy Calamari Salad. GET THIS IF YOU COME TO BUDDAKAN. No explanation necessary, just get it!! The large size was enough for all 4 of us.
Next we tried the chicken and ginger dumplings. They were very good, and the sesame dipping sauce made them even better. They were definitely fresh and had not come out of a freezer bag. I only wished the chicken had been a little bit smoother and not so...ground. Didn't take away from the deliciousness though.
Cantonese Spring Roll- this was my favorite thing we had. The wrapper was light and crispy, and just when I thought I had tasted every flavor in it, BAM (thanks Emeril!), I'd taste something else. I didn't think I'd enjoy the chicken inside, but it made the whole roll. They served some kind of creamy sauce with it that I wasn't crazy about. It didn't really add anything to the flavor in my opinion; the roll was quite enough on its own.
As an entree we shared the Hot and Sour Scallops. Wow. I don't usually like sour flavors in a meal, but these were phenomenal. The scallops were very fresh and tender and a very good size. I enjoyed the addition of the tofu and Chinese sausage as well. I kept cutting a piece of scallop and then dragging it around the dish to try and sop up more of the hot and sour sauce. Sooo good.
After we finished our meals, one of the servers came by and said he would be bringing us a complimentary dessert. They brought out an order of the zen-ful donuts. I didn't try, sadly; I was waaay too full. But everybody else agreed they were delicious. Filled with sweet cream and served with banana and chocolate dipping sauce. They looked fluffy and yum. I was happy they brought out this particular dessert, since my wonderful boyfriend is allergic to chocolate. (?!)
The service here is very good, despite the fact that we waited about 15 minutes after being seated for the server to come take our drink orders. After that she was very attentive. I really like the atmosphere here and it makes all the difference to wait for a private booth.
Also I really enjoyed their bar, which is to the right of entrance. It's tiny and separate from the rest of the restaurant. Very nice to go sit and have a drink before dinner. This place is so darn romantic, it makes me woozy. -
Review from Ari B.
10/30/2011
This is the place to go if you have a craving for some good Asian Fusion. Some of my favorites are the chicken wrapped in lettuce leaves, the pan roasted duck breast, and the char grilled aged beef, not to mention the shrimp fried rice. The ambience is nice as well. It's a nice experience and right outside you can see the Boardwalk and a good overall view of Atlantic City.
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Review from Amar S.
Absecon, NJ
9/8/2011
Overpriced food. Staff is friendly, but not comparable to the prices they charge. The portions are an absolute joke. We spent 60 bucks each and ended up getting pizza a few hours later. Food felt comparable to PF Changs quality with triple the prices. Best part was taking pictures with buddha.
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Review from Ron-Shanita M.
Philadelphia, PA
12/9/2011 Seated via OpenTable
The edamame ravioli was like an orgasm of the mouth. Absolutely delicious!
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Review from Mooie G.
Manhattan, NY
11/11/2010
Yummm... great food and drinks. Can't go wrong. Great service. try the edamame dumplings ( maybe this one in ac calls them edamame ravioli? i forget bc i went to both and the menus vary slightly).
if at the pier a must try at least twice and the second time it will be just as good as the first. -
Review from Jenny W.
Elmhurst, NY
11/29/2011 Seated via OpenTable 1 Check-in Here
The wasabi crusted steak was ok - will probably not order it again. The Lamb was amazing. Also get the edamame ravioli for apps.
